


The Sweet Hello

by trajektoria



Series: The Red Thread of Fate [1]
Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Children, Fluff, M/M, Reyes really needs a hug, The Citadel, and a tiny bit of angst, and fell in love as adults, reyes didn't have a happy childhood, they met as kids
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-30
Updated: 2018-01-30
Packaged: 2019-03-11 06:06:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13518117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trajektoria/pseuds/trajektoria
Summary: When Scott and Reyes met for the first time Scott couldn't even talk properly yet. And Ellen Ryder almost adopted a new kid.





	The Sweet Hello

**Author's Note:**

> Big thanks to [captainjennhart](http://captainjennhart.tumblr.com/) who is the best beta ever. You rock! <3
> 
> This story is a bonus in the series, focusing on their very first meeting. Chapter 0, so to speak. I wasn't sure if I should even tag it as a romantic relationship but that's the point of fate, right? - they're gonna end up together in the future anyway. So enjoy the story, the fluff and the angst lurking under the surface. Comments and kudos are much appreciated.

Reyes sat on the swing, both his feet planted firmly on the ground. He didn’t feel like moving; being stationary, safe, motionless soothed him somehow, gave some kind of semblance of constancy to his life. At this hour, the playground was empty. Normal people living on the Citadel were probably eating breakfast or taking a shower or maybe still sleeping in their warm beds.

The eight-year-old wished briefly that he was one of them before he chastised himself for being silly.

Suppressing a yawn, he blinked a few times to give his bleary eyes some respite. He probably would have dozed off if it weren’t for his grumbling stomach, loud like exploding bombs. Dad had had one of his drunken episodes last night, so Reyes knew better than to return home. He wasn’t too worried though. It wasn’t the first time, and it wouldn’t be the last. Reyes knew he’d be fine on his own. If there was one thing he was really good at, it was surviving. An hour or so and the marketplace would open, giving him plenty of opportunities to steal some food. Last time he’d grabbed a pineapple, which sustained him for a whole day. The memory brought a smile to his face and a deluge of saliva into his mouth.

Realistically, he should probably aim for something less fancy and more nutritious. Fried chicken, that would be nice. Or some bacon. Yum…  

Reyes shook his head, chasing these thoughts away. If he kept that up, he would drool all over his shirt. He forced himself to divert his attention elsewhere, away from his empty stomach.

Someone was actually approaching the playground. A young human woman with dark hair, pushing a stroller with two babies inside, twins, a boy and a girl from the looks of it, maybe a year old or so, he wasn’t sure. Their big blue eyes were open wide as they babbled something not even resembling proper words.

The woman gave Reyes a long look, as if assessing whether he would be any danger to her children. It was only fair, since he used an identical once-over on her. Silently, they gave one another the benefit of the doubt. Somewhat reassured, the woman sat on a nearby bench. She reached into a bag hanging from the stroller handle and fished out various plastic containers. Reyes observed her with curiosity. Once he realized that they were full of food, he groaned inwardly.

The babies got a chunk of apple each. The boy promptly tried to put it into his nostril, and the girl threw hers at her brother with a joyous squeak. The mother sighed, nothing but fond exasperation, and gave her a biscuit instead. Then she took out a sandwich and began to eat also.

Reyes gawked at her so intensively that he thought he might burn a hole in her forehead. He had learned by now that the universe hated him, but this was just cruel.

Finally, the woman seemed to notice his gaze. She stared back at him. Reyes quickly turned his head away, shifting uncomfortably. The hunger was starting to get to him, a black hole inside of him threatening to swallow him whole.

He observed warily as the woman, after a moment of pondering, packed her things and started to push the stroller with munching babies towards him.

Reyes jumped off the swing, ready to bolt. Nothing good ever came from adults coming too close to him.

“It’s okay, I don’t want to hurt you.”

Reyes gave the woman a look far too cynical for an eight-year-old. He didn’t relax his stance. If anything, he tensed even more.

She stopped in her tracks, apparently changing her tactics.

“Are you lost?” she asked, her voice kind and caring. Reyes wanted to believe that she wasn’t faking it.

“No,” he replied carefully.

“Where are your parents?”

The honest answer – _my mother left and my father is lying in a puddle of his own puke, sleeping off a rowdy night at the bar_ – wouldn’t do.

“They went shopping and will pick me up soon,” he lied smoothly. He was good at lying, but the woman didn’t seem to buy it anyway. Even the twins cooed loudly in unison, as if seeing through his deception. Not good. He hoped she wouldn’t call the cops on him.

The mother hesitated, but then grabbed one of the boxes and extended it towards him.

“Are you hungry?” she asked with a smile. “I think I’m full already, shame for it to go to waste.”

Reyes wanted to say no, but the rumbling in his stomach answered for him.

“It’s okay, take it. Really.”

Ugh, he knew that he shouldn’t accept anything from strangers. That was a horrible idea, one that could cost him a kidney or his life. But he was so hungry it was maddening.

Step by step, like a frightened animal ready to escape at any rapid movement, Reyes came closer to the woman. He took the box agonizingly slowly, still quite unsure how this would all end. Carefully, his gaze flicking from the container to the woman, he opened the lid. And gasped, his eyes widening.

It was a feast worthy of a king – two chicken sandwiches, an apple, banana, chocolate bar, a few candies in a wrapper and a small bottle of orange juice.

Even if the food turned out to be poisoned, hell, it would be worth it.

“Thank you!” he said eagerly, and without any delay, in case she changed her mind, shoved one of the sandwiches into his mouth, swallowing half of it almost without chewing. The taste was heavenly, he had never eaten anything better. Greedily, he finished the sandwich and bit into another, wolfing it down. He was only vaguely aware of the woman’s gaze on him, a strange mixture of joy and sadness.

He was far more aware of the giggle and a weak tug at the edge of his shirt. Reyes looked down and saw that the boy had grabbed a fistful of his clothes, staring up at him expectantly. The baby babbled something in a language only he himself understood.

“I think Scott wants to say hi,” said the mother anyway, stroking the boy’s head. In that one small gesture Reyes saw more love than he had ever experienced in his entire life.

“Hello, Scott,” he replied, not sure what he was feeling right then.

The baby giggled again. An infectious, joyous, carefree laugh of someone who was still so full of life, so innocent.

Reyes smiled at him, genuine and at ease for the first time. And then he offered the same smile to the boy’s mother.

Today the Citadel seemed a little brighter and warmer.


End file.
